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Nick Lacasse

Nick Lacasse has worked his way up the kitchen ladder in Vermont, Seattle, Portland, Maine, and Chicago for nearly 20 years. His food obsession began while working at Etta's in Seattle at the age of 19. Tom Douglas was a great influence, learning regionality, seasonality and discipline in the kitchen. The following year, Lacasse was awarded a scholarship to New England Culinary Institute and since graduating in 2002, has worked under four James Beard award-winning chefs. In 2007 Nick, as Executive Chef, opened The Drawing Room in Chicago's Gold Coast to great acclaim. Lacasse’s food style is very personal, a mix of progressive techniques, seasonality, with often an homage to the foods of his unfussy New England upbringing. A six month hiatus from the kitchen in 2005-06 introduced Nick to his second true love, travel. A new respect for the ceremony of cooking and eating with fellow travelers was born in ramshackle rooming houses. Nick currently resides in Chicago.